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Zabid restoration project to preserve World Heritage Site status

Posted in: Front Page
Written By: Abdul-Aziz Oudah
Article Date: Nov 26, 2007 - 7:26:38 AM

zabid_city.jpg
UNESCO has previously threatened to revoke Zabid’s World Heritage Site status because of so much unplanned building taking place inside the city boundaries.
Zabid will not be removed from the list of international heritage cities, according to al-Hodaida governor, Ahmed al-Hajri and the German Embassy's Counsellor for Development Cooperation, Dr. Irene Fellmann. There is a joint German-Yemeni plan to save and restore the site.

These comments came during the launching of the Economic Development of Historical Cities in Yemen project last Saturday. The German government has given 5 million euro in funding to the project, with an additional 2.5 million Euros from the Social Fund for Development.

Al-Hajri said that the government and local authorities in Hodaida would not allow any development that would harm the historical value of Zabid and that it will take extreme measures against anyone who seeks to damage Zabid's heritage. 

Al-Hajri added that the project would require cooperation from everyone. He admitted that much of Zabid's heritage had been lost because of past negligence and illegal building, but he insisted that the governorate has a great desire to protect the history that remained, which he described not only as belonging to Zabid or Yemen, but as the inheritance of all human beings. He excused the government for its previous lack of work in preserving Zabid because of the 1994 civil war and the economic crises which followed. 

Al-Hajri said that the German project to restore historical cities in Yemen had already completed works in Shabam in Hadramout, and that the project in Zabid would rehabilitate the city economically, not just historically, and would have a positive effect on the incomes and economic life of its people. He also admitted that there was trafficking of historical artifacts in Zabid, as there was in other archeological cities, and that the weakness of the citizens increased the country's inability to end this crime. 

Zabid citizens pledged to cooperate with the project but expressed their fears that adequate compensation for the removal of new buildings considered incongruous with Zabid's architectural heritage would not be offered. The governor promised to establish a fund to provide for this, saying, we want to improve our credibility with the German donors who have promised us open funds to protect this human heritage."

In a speech delievered by Dr. Fellmann, the German ambassador in Sana'a said that the project would contribute to the development of people's lives in the city by improving their incomes through creating job opportunities restoring clay buildings and repairing souqs. It will support women's production and revitalise economic, trade and agricultural life in the city. The ambassador said that what had been done in Shibam will be applied in Zabid  
"Work contracts will increase, there will be an increased need for labor and more opportunities for income," he said. "The project will create a demand for traditional house building skills. Families who participate in the project's activities are expected to increase their household incomes by 20%, on average, until the year 2010," he added.  

Abdulah al-Muthuahi, general manager of the district, said that the increasing population and their need for housing has led to the unplanned building in the heritage city. A shortage of traditional materials and an increase in their costs has also played a role. He asked the concerned authorities to take these points into consideration when planning new development of the city. 

He said that the old city needed to pave its roads with rocks in order to drain off rain water, a project that was supported by KWF bank. Ali Qasim, KWF representative, said that the bank decided to pave the city's roads to protect the sanitation system that the bank established recently at a cost of 9 million Euros. KWF bank contributed 60 percent and the government 40 percent to this project. 

Abdullah al-Dailami, Manager of Culture and Heritage in the Social Fund for Development, promised Zabid's citizens unlimited support to protect the city.  

During the ceremony launching the project, the Historical Cities Development Project bureau was opened, and agreements of financial support were signed for four NGO's to work in Zabid.  A fund was also announced that was created to provide money to historical homes that had undergone restoration.  

Germany's support to Zabid comes as part of Germany's total contribution to Yemen during 2007- 2008, which is estimated to come  to 73 million Euros. The German government previously funded 60 percent of Zabid's sewage project at a cost of 9.2 million Euros.  It also contributed 85 percent of the cost of the sanitation project  in Bajel and Bait al-Fagih districts, amounting to 20.76 million Euros. 

Last year, the German government listed Yemen among the countries it would prioritise its support to. It ring-fenced 870 million Euros to be given to Yemen until the year 2015.    Zabid's history dates back to the 9th century; UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site in 1993.  It was recently threatened with losing this status if Yemen did not take preservation and restoration measures.